Since You've Been Gone
by Marauderfox
Summary: Set between The Lost Hero and Son of Neptune. I have decided that instead of one one-shot I would make a series of one-shots. NOTE: Used to be one-shot Pictures featuring Piper and Annabeth
1. Pictures

**Hey ya'll this is Marauderfox. This is my first Percy Jackson fic so sorry is the characters are OOC. Please no flamers! This may not be my last Percy Jackson/Heros of Olympus story!**

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing! All charatcers, the camp etc belong to Rick Riordan. Obviously I'm not him... but one can wish right?**

PIPER

Piper was bored. Leo and Annabeth were busy building the _Argo II_ while Jason was slowly getting his memory back, causing him frequent headaches. She seriously wanted to kill Leo for not letting her help with the Argo; she was just as capable as anyone else. But even Annabeth, the architect/supervisor of the ship, agreed with him.

So here she was, wandering around camp, with nothing to do during free period. She walked in aimless circles around the horseshoe shape of the cabins, observing each one and testing herself on whose' it was.

She stopped in front of the long, low cabin, cabin number 3, with its rough grey stone walls covered in seashells and coral; it was obviously the cabin of Poseidon. It was home to only one demigod, the legendary Percy Jackson, hero of Olympus. It was sitting on the left of Zeus's cabin, the one that Jason stayed in.

Suddenly she felt drawn by the cabin; she wanted to see the inside. Quickly she looked around to see if anyone was watching. No, no one was there, of course, they were all to busy admiring the Argo, she though bitterly.

Cautiously she walked toward the door and turned the knob. The door swung open, taking her breath away. The cabin was gorgeous, not what you would expect from the outside.

There were six empty bunk beds. Only one bunk looked slept in, that must have been Percy's. The walls had a shining feature that reminded Piper of the ocean; it looked like a shell her father had shown her years ago, abalone? There were bronze horses with fish tails; Piper recalled them to be Hippocampi hanging from the ceiling. One of the walls there was a grey fountain made of sea rock with a fish that had water spurting out of its mouth. Exotic sea plants and coral sat on the window sill, Piper had no idea how they could still be alive maybe someone at camp was watering them or maybe they were magic.

The wall beside the occupied bunk was covered in pictures. She walked toward them. One had three teens, two girls and between them a boy. One of the girls had blonde hair, it was Annabeth, the other had black hair; Piper recognized her as Jason's sister Thalia. The boy in between them had messy black hair and sea green eyes filled with laughter.

In another picture the boy and Annabeth sat on a black Pegasus, her arms around his chest, laughing.

As Piper looked around she noticed that almost all of the pictures had the green-eyed boy in them, with a pang she realized that it must have been Percy. There he was on the beach, in a chariot, with his arm around Annabeth, swimming, there were pictures of him doing nearly every activity at camp with a diversity of people, no wonder he was so popular!

One picture in particular caught Piper's eye. There were five teens standing on the beach with their arms around each other, smiling.

To the far left was a punk/goth looking girl with a silver jacket on over a black tank top and a silver tiara sitting crooked on her spiky black hair, her bright eyes were as blue as Jason's.

The girl next to her was small and slim with fiery red hair that was pulled into a messy ponytail she had green eyes and freckles splattered across her high cheek bones. She had paint-splattered jeans on and an oversized "Hoover Dam" T-shirt.

The other girl was a little taller than the red-head and a bit more tanned. She had golden, curly blonde hair, she had on a Camp Half-Blood T-shirt and shorts, and dagger was fixed to a band around her waist. She had on her necklace, it had eight painted beads.

A boy stood close to her, he had messy black hair and green eyes. He was fairly tall, taller than all the girls, with a lean but muscular build. He had on a Camp Half-Blood T-shirt and a necklace with four beads strung on.

Then next was a boy, he looked older than everyone else in the picture, he was a satyr with a mop of curly brown hair, covered by a green Rasta cap. He had on an orange T-shirt like the others but no pants, only furry legs.

The last was a boy; he was smaller and by the looks of it, younger than everyone else. He had dark brown-black hair and olive skin. His eyes were dark making him look beyond his years. He wore mostly black and had rings on every finger.

"I remember that."

Piper jumped, she had though she was alone. She spun on her heel to see a familiar blonde girl with sad grey eyes.

"I- I'm sorry." Piper stuttered, normally campers weren't aloud into other God's cabins if they weren't on inspection.

Annabeth sighed and waved her hand dismissingly, "Its fine. I've been coming in here a lot lately too, I think everyone has." She sank onto Percy's bed, the springs groaned as she did so.

"That picture was taken a month or so after the Battle of Manhattan. Thalia came to visit, she wanted to see how things were holding up, what with rebuilding camp, the city, Olympus, the new Oracle – you know Rachel – and especially coping with the death of Lu–" Annabeth paled, she looked nothing like the happy, carefree girl in the picture, she pointed to the picture, "that's Thalia, but you've met her, the other girl is Rachel, the Oracle, then me," she paused, "I know, I look hardly recognizable. The guy next to me is-" she choked on her own words, "the other two are Grover and Nico."

For a few minutes there was silence, awkward silence, Piper's favorite kind. _Notice the sarcasm_. She though about just a while ago when her own father had gone missing, the remembered how distressed she had been.

"You really miss him, don't you?" She asked finally.

Annabeth's head turned slightly as she looked at Piper. Her eyes blazed as if she was thinking of sapping, for a moment she didn't answer, then her eyes dimed and she closed them. She nodded, "Of course. He was – no, is – my best friend. He was always here for me when I needed him. When he went m-missing I-," Annabeth paused, opening her eyes again, she abandoned her sentence, "when I went missing he found me, and I'm going to find him, if it's the last thing I do. Besides-" Annabeth gave a sad, half-hearted smile, "he still owes me, and I can't let him go when he owes me."

Piper knew she looked confused when Annabeth gave her a look that said– I might tell you later, but probably not.

"Maybe once we find him you can tell us all about those adventures you guys had. No one around here will say anything." Piper tried to start a new conversation.

Annabeth gave a light laugh; one Piper could tell was forced. "Yeah, maybe…"

Once again, silence.

The conch shell rang out in the distance. Annabeth rose to her feet. With one last, longing look at the picture she walked toward the door. Before she opened the door she hesitated.

"Come on Piper, you should come to lunch, you won't be able to train on an empty stomach." Then the blonde girl left. Piper could see her figure reseeding through the window, curly blonde hair swinging back and forth in its ponytail.

Piper sighed. She looked back at the pictures. Percy. Percy was the heart of the camp. The savior. The people in the pictures all looked so different than how they looked now. Percy had made many friends in this camp, and she had a feeling they would stop at nothing to get him back.


	2. A Clarisse Update

**Hey everyone! I was really happy with the response I got from _Pictures _so I'm trying another Percy Jackson/Heros of Olympus one-shot. This one features Clarisse, I hope you guys like it.**

**DISCLAIMER: All characters belong to Rock Riordan, with the exeption of Celie but only her name really. **

CLARISSE

Two months. Percy Jackson. Prissy. Has been gone fore two months. Not to say that I particularly care for the guy but camp is different with out him around.

I have no one who is stupid enough to challenge me to wrestling. No one to run my spear through during capture the flag. There is no one around to laugh at the stupid jokes the Stolls and Chris tell. Hades. Even _his_ jokes are starting to be missed.

And possibly the worst of all, Annabeth, she has been lifeless ever since he disappeared. No, scratch that. She's been lifeless ever since Jason, Piper and Leo came and there was officially no chance to find him until the _Argo II_ was done.

That ship is her last chance. I'd hate to see what she'd be like if he was killed by the Romans.

But knowing him, the idiot, he has a pretty good chance of that happening.

Anyway, something really scary happened the other day, and that's coming from me.

Chris and I were having a picnic up on the hill by Thalia's Pine. Yeah, so what, I was having a picnic with my boyfriend, got anything to say about that punk? No? Good.

So we were having this picnic when a satyr runs up the other side of a hill with a little girl following him. They're almost up the hill what I realize they're being chased, by a hell hound. A small one, no doubt, but a hell hound.

Obviously Chris and I weren't going to sit there and watch the two become lunchmeat so we went into fight-mode.

It wasn't that hard. Pretty easy really, we had both fought more formidable opponents in the Battle of Manhattan.

After we finished off the monster we helped the satyr get the girl to Chiron.

That's what I finally got a good look at her. She was small, a really tiny little thing. She couldn't have been older than ten, so small in fact that I could have broken her neck with my pinky if I wanted, but obviously I didn't.

She had the longest hair I've every seen, a dark medium between black and brown, it was pulled into a French braid, with twigs and leaves sticking out, obviously from their flight from the hell hound. Her face was pale, probably from the fright of it all, but her cheeks were rosy from running. And her eyes, I shutter even now thinking of them; they were a clean, crisp blue, like the feathers of a blue bird. I felt like I'd seen her before, I felt like I recognized her.

Then it struck me.

Selena.

She was a near to exact copy of Selena.

My heart almost stopped when she looked at me. It was in that same, oddly kind but calculating, way Selena used to. I blinked and looked away. Call me a wimp – if you do I shishkibab you – but it was a little unnerving.

I nudged Chris, hoping he'd notice too.

He didn't.

I wanted to hit him.

I wanted Annabeth to be there to tell me – bless her and all of her insight – that there was no possible way the little girl could be Selena, we know she went to Elysium to be with Beckendorf. As weird as it may seen I also wanted Percy there, to tell me I was loosing my mind and make me so pissed off I could forget what I had seen.

But neither of them were there so I gathered all of my courage and knelt on one knee as to look the girl in the face.

"I'm Clarisse, what's your name?"

See, I'm not mean _all_ the time.

She looked back at me, meeting my eyes. Blue to brown.

"I'm Celie."

I felt the tension go from my body. Celie. For a moment I thought her name was going to be…

I really needed to stop thinking.

But that's all I can do. This girl and Selena are too similar for it to be a coincidence.

I see her walking around camp sometimes; she went to the weaponry and chose a weapon, a bow and arrow. Selena always favored a sword. She is in the Hermes cabin for the time being but I think everyone who knew Selena knows where she belongs.

She's an Aphrodite girl. And I could only hope she would be another Selena, a true hero.

**It was a bit short but I think that if I added anymore it was be too much. **

**I case of further questions, no she is not Selena resurrected. We know that because, one Selena defiantly went to Elysium where Charles Beckendorf was and two because this girl is about ten where as Selena died less than a year before, therefore it would be impossible for Celie to be her in a second life.**


	3. Blackjack

**Hey yall! Sorry I didn't update sooner, I was on vacation in Florida for the past week so I didn't have any time to write! Anyway, this one's an odd little one I put together. I notice how almost no one writes about Blackjack in fics set between PJO and HoO so I thought I would.**

**Thanks to those of you who reviewed the last chapter! Please, take time to do it again! **

**Well, I won't take any more time from your reading.**

**Enjoy!**

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><p><span>ANNABETH<span>

Annabeth had officially struck a new low. She had a whole camp full of demigods who would be more than willing to talk about Percy and tell her that everything would be alright bit instead she went to the horse.

Well, Pegasus really.

Annabeth though about how much Percy loved the camp and everyone in it every day. During the day she normally found herself in places he would go to think, the canoe lake, cabin 3, the fireworks beach on Long Island Sound, only to name a few.

Today Annabeth sat in the grass by the stream, watching the winged horses fly above her, cheering campers on their backs.

If Annabeth ever admitted she had 'blonde moments' it would be then. She couldn't believe she had forgotten about the Pegasi! She hadn't even though to see how they were taking their "Lord's" disappearance. Percy loved Pegasi, he was the best rider a camp now that Selena was gone, only Butch came close to his skills with the horses. Not only that but he could talk to them!

That's how she found herself standing in Blackjack's stall, feeding him sugar cubes, Percy had told her once how much ho loved them. Everyone else probably thought she was crazy but she knew that Blackjack was as much of Percy's friend as anyone.

Percy had saved Blackjack's life and for years the Pegasus had been trying to show his gratitude. But Percy being Percy he didn't want Blackjack to show him favoritism or call him 'boss', but just last summer when Rachel took Blackjack he called the Pegasi, "his horse".

Annabeth knew Blackjack was pinning for Percy. Butch was getting worried about him, he wouldn't eat; he just stared out the window over the lake. Blackjack wouldn't let anyone near him, let alone ride or brush him.

But when Annabeth came in to his stall; tears running down her face, when she reached out for his tattered blue halter, he didn't move, ho only watched her with sad dark eyes.

The black horse's coat was matted with dirt; his mane was tangled with burrs and twigs. This appearance would have never been accepted by Percy and Annbeth told him so.

She had a feeling that if she could understand him, he would be saying, "does it look like I care?"

So the two sat in silence; listening to the sounds of the world moving on outside. Finally Annabeth gathered the courage to pick up a brush and groom Blackjack.

At first the Pegasus protested but after a minute he gave up, letting her wipe away the soil on hit body and wings. She then softly combed through his mane with her fingers, untangling snags as she went.

The process probably took more than an hour but she didn't care. Percy would have wanted her to, and, well, as silly as it sounded it was good to have the company o someone who didn't try to comfort you, of someone who was in the same pain as you were.

Annabeth proceeded to talk to Blackjack. She told him how much Percy loved him, even though he acted annoyed with the Pegasus most of the time, she told Blackjack how Percy was very protective of him and never let anyone ride him but himself. She talked to Blackjack about the other Pegasi, about Guido and Porkpie.

She confessed to Blackjack what she had never confessed to Percy, she was scared of Pegasi, ever since she was thrown by one her first time riding. She confessed that since that day she had only been on a horse twice, that is, until Percy came. When Percy was with her around the horses she wasn't afraid. He was as confident around them as he was in the fighting arena, if gave her confidence too. She knew that as long as he was around they wouldn't hurt her, couldn't hurt her.

Percy did that to her, although, he gave lots of people that kind of confidence. The demi-gods wouldn't have one the war if it hadn't been for his persistence. He gave Camp Half-Blood the motivation they needed to defeat the Titians. Whoever said otherwise was lying.

A warm feeling of pride ran through her body. Her boyfriend. Her Percy. Her stupid Seaweed Brian. Was the Hero of Olympus, and if he couldn't brave the Roman camp… Annabeth just couldn't afford to think like that.

A black muzzle in her face brought back to reality. Blackjack's lips fumbled with her golden hair. Annabeth wanted to shriek and run out of the stable but after a few deep breaths she remembered what Percy had told her about being calm around horses.

If you're calm and confident they will be too, if you're jumpy and scared they act up as well. She gently pushed the velvety horse away. He gave her a reproachful look. She laughed. For the first time in months she laughed; a genuine laugh. It felt good, but… it just wasn't the same when Percy wasn't the one making her laugh.

Blackjack looked curiously at her, as if saying "why are you laughing, it's not that funny". Well, Annabeth knew there was nothing really to be laughing at but the way the Pegasus looked at her, like he was human, it really got to her.

She heard the Conch shell blow in the distance. Lunch was ready. Then she would be back to building the _Argo II_.

Quickly the blonde haired girl said goodbye to Blackjack, promising she would be back soon. She intended to keep that promise too. And who knew, maybe when Percy got back she would pick up riding, but only if her Hero of Olympus was at her side the whole way.

**Okay, so a bit longer than the last one but shorted than the first. I hope everyone liked it. I will be updating again when I get a new idea for a one shot which may take a while. **

**P.S. Sorry if the whole 'Annabeth being afraid of horses' thing is a bit OC but I like to try new things. Also, I personally am not afraid of horses, I actually ride them and lease/half-own one so… I don't know what it's like to be afraid of horses**


	4. Hot Chocolate

**Hi there, Marauderfox here. This is another one-shot. Duh. I'm thinking I'll do a thing where I'll make a few more one-shots progressing through the months that Percy's missing, then at the end I'll do a little reunion thing. You know, all that stuff ;D. **

**P.S. I'm sorry if Thalia's a bit out of character but this is the first time I've ever written for her yet, actually Nico too… so, sorry.**

**AN: I keep forgetting to put the disclaimer in here, but really, did the thought ever even cross your mind that I was the totally epic Rick Riordan? No? I didn't think so. I OWN NOTHING!**

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><p><span>THALIA<span>

Thalia hates Percy Jackson. She hates him.

Who did he think he was, disappearing in the middle of the night with no warning, not that it's his fault or anything but it's so much easier to blame him.

He left behind all of his friends. A frantic girlfriend, a slightly depressed thirteen year old, a hysterical satyr, the rest of his friends and admirers at Camp Half-Blood, not to mention her, Thalia.

The cursed _boy_ had left reducing the strong Annabeth Chase into a shell of her old self. And Thalia hates him for that.

Nico and Thalia sit around Percy's kitchen table sipping hot chocolate in the cold of December. Percy's mom is in the living room staring blankly at the TV. Probably watching the news for some natural disaster that will tell her if her baby boy is still alive, Thalia muses. That's always been something Percy's had a knack at, causing natural disasters.

Nico stirs the marshmallows with a plastic spoon, hardly in to mood to eat them.

Thalia watches the motion of the spoon as it makes whirlpools in the chocolate. For the love of Hades, whirlpools make her think of the ocean, which makes her think of Percy. Stupid Kelp Head. She can't understand why everyone was so hysterical; they all know approximately where he is. Besides, Thalia would pay money to see the Romans try to kill Percy.

She doesn't like to admit it, but damn that boy is powerful. Although he fails tremendously at archery he out skills her in swordplay, no doubt. He can control water with hardly the flick of a hand. Besides, the Romans don't know about the Curse of Achilles. It would be impossible to behead him or feed him to lions or whatever weird torture stuff the Romans do.

But no matter how tough or invincible Percy is Thalia can't help but worry about him. After all, he is her cousin, she thinks of him as a brother. Possibly even more so than Jason at times. She's known Percy for longer, but Jason is her real, blood, brother. And, blood is thicker that water, right? Sometimes she isn't so sure.

Thalia and Nico practically live at Percy's these days, at least whenever she isn't on a hunt or when Nico isn't out doing whatever it is Nicos do.

Speaking of Nico; Thalia is beginning to get more and more worried about the boy. He is talking less and spends more time alone. Maybe that's just what happens when boys become teens, they become introverted and don't talk to anyone, but Thalia doesn't think that is the case. Nico misses Percy; maybe more than is healthy for a boy his age. No matter what Nico may say he looks up to Percy, his brotherly figure. He was as worried sick as that rest of them when the Son of Poseidon went missing. He searched on Mrs. O'Leary for nearly a month non-stop; he even searched the Underworld, but no luck.

Don't get her wrong, Thalia misses him too, but it's different for her. She's the only one who has _experienced_ the real force of his powers. When he is training he doesn't want to hurt anyone but that day by the creek, after capture the flag, she could feel his want, his need, to prove her wrong, to put her in her place.

At the time she fought back will all of her strength too. Now she isn't so sure that was even as far as his powers went. That was before Mt. St Helens, before the Battle of Manhattan, if he could blow up a mountain, ultimately releasing the greatest monster of all time it was certain he could take on a few Romans.

She shakes her head, black hair falling into her eyes, she really needs a haircut. She also needs to get the idiot son of the sea god out of her head.

"Nico," she says, noticing the blank look in the boy's dark eyes.

He doesn't react.

"Nico," she repeats a little louder.

He blinks and looks down at the battered table. "Yes Thalia?"

It hurts her, to hear him so down. He's also like her brother. She takes pride in the fact that if he ever has problems with his father, Persephone or if missing Bianca is getting to him he comes to her (and Percy) first. Now Percy isn't there and it's different, the small boy keeps everything bottled up, it isn't good for him.

Did she mention she hates Percy?

"Nico, if you're not going to eat those marshmallows I'll have them." She attempts to cheer him up.

It has some affect; he gives her a mock look of offence. "Mine." He states like a three year old.

She rolls her eyes, "Well, I finished mine so…"

"Mine." He states again. This time there is a small smile on his face. For a moment it looks so out of place. He hasn't smiled in months.

Thalia can't help but remember when she first met him. A small, messy haired ten year old boy with a deep obsession with Mythomagic, which he may or may not still have, she swore on the River Styx not to tell. Percy had been an idiot, like that was new, and had chased Nico and Bianca himself. That ended in a fight with a spike throwing manticore that would have gone terribly wrong if it hadn't been for the Hunters of Artemis.

Thalia makes a face halfway between a smile and a grimace at the bittersweet memory.

Nico gives her a weird look, "Stop that, you look creepy."

Thalia keeps grinning, "Oh, really? Maybe I should do this more often then."

Nico looks frightened at the idea, "Seriously Thals, you look like some creepy ex-girlfriend out to seek revenge on her ex's new girl. And, that look doesn't really fit you."

The grin drops off Thalia's face quickly replaced by an evil smirk.

Quick as lightning (no pun intended) Thalia reaches over the table and snatches Nico's mug of hot chocolate, she takes her spoon and scoops up all of the marshmallows.

"Hey!" Nico protests.

Thalia laughs while the boy in black glares at her.

Suddenly the air of amusement drops and the temperature seems to drop into negatives, Sally walks into the kitchen. The poor woman is pale; her normally rich brown hair is streaked with grey and looks frizzy. There are dark circles under her eyes as if she hasn't slept in days. This, Thalia reminds herself, is probably true.

The previous warm feeling in Thalia's heart sinks to the toes of her leather clad feet. Whatever happens it always comes back around to Percy and until they find Percy it will keep coming back around to Percy.

Did she mention that she hates Percy?

Then why can't she stop worrying about the stupid Kelp Head, her stupid Kelp Head, her cousin, possibly her best (male) friend, her brother.

Her stupid Kelp Head.

**Okay, just to make this clear, THIS IS NOT THALICO. I do not support Thalico, I mean, it's kid of cute but it's a bit weird considering that their cousins (technically) and the strange age differences (what with the Lotus Casino, her being a tree and her being a Huntress). Besides, need I remind you SHE'S A _MAIDEN_ HUNTRESS OF ARTEMIS!**

**Anyway, I just thought I would put that out there because it got kind of fluffy in the middle there.**

**Also, about the Curse of Achilles thing, Thalia obviously doesn't know that Percy lost it. **

**~Foxy**


	5. Happy New Years NOT

**The amazing, talented, gorgeous, stylish, cultured… *cough* *cough* Marauderfox has updated once again. Ha, if only I was all of those things. Anyway, here's chapter five. And thanks to everyone who reviewed, favorited and alerted the story, I really appreciate it!**

**I'm really sorry I haven't updated in a LONG while, the end of the school year's really been dragging me. But in… eight (school) days it will be over so HAPPY DANCE!**

**Disclaimer: As if I could really be the amazing author Rick! Seriously, I don't own!**

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><p><span>RACHEL<span>

"JINGLE BELLS! JINGLE BELLS JINGLE ALL THE WAAAAY!"

"Shut up Leo!" Jason yelled.

The small Latino boy glared at the son of Ze-Jupiter.

I gazed on, amused by the twos' behavior.

I was on winter break, thank the gods, but unfortunately in a few short days I would be back in prison, oops, I mean, Clarion Ladies Academy.

"OVER THE HILLS WE GO LAUGHING ALL THE WAY HAAAAAAHAAAAAHAAAAA!"

"Leo, it's New Years Eve, December will be over tonight! Enough with the Christmas carols already!"

I really didn't mind the songs, back 'home', I would always sing carols until May, at the earliest, just to annoy my parents.

I was sitting at the Ping-Pong table with some of the other campers, waiting for the battle squad that we sent to defeat a group of telekhines down by the East River earlier today, they still hadn't returned and if they didn't come soon we would sent a search-and-rescue patrol out to find them.

The squad we sent was lead by Will Solace, Mark and Sherman from Ares, and Nyssa from Hephaestus joined him.

The other campers sat with me, waiting. It had been becoming more and more rare for a squad or patrol to come back with out one injured member. That's why every patrol left with at least one Apollo member.

I sat with Austin, Kayla and a few others from the Apollo Cabin. Other than Annabeth and, of course, Percy, the Apollo cabin members had become my close friends, perhaps it was because we honored the same god or maybe they just liked the music selection on my iPod, wouldn't blame them, either way, I was worried about Will.

Annabeth walked in, she glanced around the room quickly, scanning the crowd for something. Her eyes stopped momentarily on Leo, they went wide in surprise, he was still singing. Shaking her head, clearly amused, she walked over to me.

"Hey Rach," she sighed as she sat in an open chair next to me.

We sat in silence for a moment.

I was glad we where friends. Back before the prophecy was completed, before I became the Oracle, we had been rivals. I thought I liked Percy, no I knew I liked Percy; I knew she did too, even if she didn't even realize it. I had even kissed him, before he went and tried to blow up Kronos. I still hadn't told Annabeth about that and I never planned to. But, after seeing them from my helicopter, seeing them work so in sync together to save my life, I knew I didn't stand a chance. I already had known what I was meant to become, I had no objections.

Ever since I was disallowed to date Annabeth and I had become very close, maybe even best friend close, that still confused Percy.

I had found, despite my previous thoughts, that Annabeth was really a very smart, rational girl. She cared for her friends, especially Percy, very much. She could at times be confusing and overly proud but, I came to look over it.

Annabeth looked around, her blonde hair swinging in its ponytail as her head craned from side to side.

"Who are you looking for Annabeth?" I asked it normally wasn't like Annabeth to look so eager to talk to someone, not nowadays anyway.

She glanced at me, distracted, "Chiron," she said shortly, then continued with her hunt.

"Annabeth," she didn't seem to hear me, "Annabeth," I tried again, "ANNABETH!" I pushed her off her chair. She landed on the floor with an 'oof!'. I noticed people where staring at us, I waved back cheekily and they went back to minding their own business.

The blonde glared at me, "yes, Rachel Elizabeth Dare?" She asked, sarcastic politeness practically dripping off her words.

I felt my mouth quirk up in a smile. "Stop giving yourself a neck kink Bethy, I'm sure if _Chiron_ walked in, you would see him immediately."

She pulled herself up in the chair again after glaring at me for calling her "Bethy".

"Yeah, I suppose." She huffed impatiently. I loved being right.

At that moment we heard the Conch shell blow in the distance, either the camp was giving out a mid-day snack or the battle squad was finally back. Either way kids poured out of the Big House, running towards Thalia's Pine. Let me just say that if anyone died it would NOT be a very good way to spend New Years.

The four campers came over the ridge, they where all tattered. Will's sun kissed blonde hair was coated with blood and mud, Sherman had a five long scratches down his back, he and Mark where half dragging Nyssa who appeared to be unconscious.

Will called out to a few of his brothers who took Nyssa from Mark and Sherman and ran with her towards the Infirmary.

I turned back to Will to better asses his injuries. He had a large bump on his head, that's where the blood in his hair came from, his shirt sleeve had been torn away revealing the battered flesh underneath and he looked like he had large bruises in the shape of seal flippers on his face. His put his hand up to one of his siblings who was trying to pour nectar on his arm, he gestured to the Ares boys. He wanted them to be looked at before he could be healed. The idiot son of Apollo.

Annabeth ran up to him after the crowd of healers had thinned, "Will, what happened?"

Will shook his head in dismay, wincing at his own movement. "There six, we killed three right off the bat, easy, then we disposed of the others, as we where retreating, th-they," his eyes clouded with confusion, he looked up at her with a frown on his face, "Annabeth, they came back. The telekhines reformed after we had killed them. It was like all of the pieces of monster dust became magnetic and reformed. Finally, we had no choice to run, Nyssa had already been knocked out cold and I was afraid we where going to loose her. I didn't want to take any chances."

His breathing had become labored. His eyes screwed up in pain. One of his siblings handed him a flask on nectar, he nodded and took it gratefully.

Annabeth looked stunned, "they came back, how in Hades could this happen?" Naturally after hearing Will's story the camp turned into a panic, if we couldn't kill the monsters what would happen, would the camp be overrun, would we all have to go home, I shuddered at the thought of going home, I now lived at the CLA and on my breaks I had home and a new family here.

"I really need to find Chiron now!" Annabeth muttered so quietly I got the feeling I was the only one who could here her. Her steely grey eyes where wide in distress, then they became quite irritated, I knew what was going to happen a moment before it did.

"QUIET!" She boomed, "I CAN'T HERE MYSELF THINK!"

Everyone went silence.

When Annabeth asked for quiet, Annabeth got quiet, unless you wanted her bronze dagger at your throat.

"Okay, we need Chiron, has anyone seen him?" She asked, now using a more even tone.

One of the Hecate girls nodded, "I just saw him. He was headed into the forest."

"Κατάρα των θεών!" Annabeth shrieked in what seemed to be a curse. Sometimes I really wished I could speak Greek. I had picked up some things since I had become Oracle but nothing that was really _useful_!

The sky rumbled, there where reprimands of "Annabeth" running across the hill.

"Sorry," she muttered, not looking very much so.

Jason, Piper and Leo pushed their way through the throng of campers.

"Annabeth!" Piper called once she was close, "What's going on?"

Annabeth turned toward the sound of the girl's voice, I caught a glimpse of her eyes; they where panicked, frighteningly so. Her hands trembled at her sides and she looked like she might pass out.

"Annabeth?" I whispered anxiously.

She ignored me; her eyes met Piper's, the Native-American girl's kaleidoscope eyes widened at the look in Annabeth's.

"I don't know." Annabeth murmured.

**GASP! Annabeth doesn't know! Anyway, I didn't know exactly when Death got captured so I'm just going to say it was New Years… yay(!)… anywho. The beginning of this chapter was really random but I could think of any other way to really start it. I'm not sure if I'm really happy with this chapter, but, I'll try it.**

**So, that was Rachel, I don't know if I did a really good job but… if you could tell me I would be much obliged :D**


	6. Late Night Escapade

**Howdy! Alright everyone, here's chapi six! I know I haven't updated in a while. School got out a few days ago and I have just been hanging out with friends, like, seriously, nonstop. **

**Not to mention that my parents limited me to 3 hours of screen time per day, that includes, TV, computer, movies, Wii, AND Netflix! **

**Anydoodles, here you go!**

**DISCLAIMER: _I DO NOT OWN PERSEUS JACKSON OR ANY OF R.R.'s FANTASTICAL MAGICAL (kind of rhythm!) WORLD!_**

ANNABETH

It was so wrong. But it was happening. We couldn't kill monsters. But, the good thing was, monsters couldn't kill us either.

Maybe that wasn't so good. Not that I wanted my fellow campers to die but with out death… I don't even want to think about what will happen to the world. Soon mortals will start discovering that they are indestructible. Earth's balance with be throne off, the underworld will fall.

N

O

T

G

O

O

D

I may or may not be overreacting.

It has been about three weeks since Will and his patrol came back to camp with the news. They are all fine now, they where all actually back on their feet, fighting again within days.

We have had many war councils, some, cough, cough, Clarisse, think we can use this to our advantage. But others, the majority of my cabin and most of the other twelve Olympian cabins agree with me that we need to find a way to fix this.

Some people have been bothering Chiron to issue a quest. But, even Chiron isn't certain about what is causing this. I know he has some ideas though, he always does.

I decided to talk to him about it.

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><p>It was a chilly night, even for New York in the middle of January standards; I had to be careful of the harpies as I snuck past the canoe lake and through the volleyball court. The Big House was right in front of my when I heard a harpy wail, "Children out of bed! Bad children, harpies eat tonight!"<p>

Oh, Hades!

I reached for my pocket where I stored my cap. When my hand grabbed thin air I froze, I had left my cap in the cabin. Athena would defiantly NOT approve of this horrible planning !

The harpies where getting closer, I did the only thing I could think of, I ran for it.

I sped up the steps of the Big House and slammed the door behind me.

I heard a low chuckle from the lounge in the room over. In the fire place a dim fire crackled snapping or popping occasionally like those "Snap, Crackle, Pop; Rice Krispies!" Did I mention how much I really hate being ADHD sometimes? It was useful in battle but seriously? Was that though really necessary?

"Annabeth?" Chiron was… sitting? No, lying next to the fire. His legs tucked under him like my old dog used to. By the way, I would appreciate it if you didn't tell Chiron I compared him to Rascal.

"Chiron, I'm sorry I'm breaking curfew, but-"

"I understand child, some, tell me what's on you mind." Chiron smiled, he patted the arm of the plush chair he was next to.

As I sank into the chair I sighed, "Chiron, I wanted to ask you about the prophecy, you know The New Great Prophecy, but I knew you didn't have time earlier today."

Chiron nodded, "Ah, yes, the prophecy seems to be on everyone's minds these days in time. Now, what where you wondering about it?"

"The last line, 'the doors of death', do you think that's why monsters, and people, can't die?" I looked him in the eye; his eyes held such sadness that I could bear it for longer than a few moments, it was almost like the pressure of holding up the sky. I wondered if that was what Chiron felt every time something bad happened to camp, like it was just one more thing he had to bear.

"Yes child that may be one of the reasons. However, this all comes back to Gaea; she is the one who opened the doors. I have reason to believe that Thanatos has been captured by Gaea and is being held prisoner, giving Gaea full control of the Doors of Death," Chiron's face was bleak, "you understand child, why I refuse to issue a quest. Any half-blood who would wish to find close the Doors of Death, not only would they have to be extremely foolish to even consider the quest, but they would first have to find Thanatos, and I would have to assume that he is being heavily guarded by Gaea's followers and then they would have to face Gaea herself, you see, either way a mission so dangerous… I would not want a camper involved in it."

I frowned, "but Chiron, some campers will have to do it, the prophecy says we have to close the doors. If we do not do it, who will? The Romans?" I scoffed at the idea. The Romans hated death; they feared it just like they feared everything else. They would rather like the idea of no death.

Chiron glanced at me warningly, "child, do not act as if it is such a foolish idea. You know, the Romans-"

Thunder boomed overhead.

Great, the gods have been silent for months but Zeus still has to 'boom' every time Chiron starts to tell us something interesting.

Chiron's face darkened once again, "I am sorry Annabeth, I cannot reveal anymore. But I don't want you to dwell on the prophecy any longer. Sleep child."

I nodded, though I knew I had a deep frown on my face, I knew I must look unappreciative and at the least, sulky, but I needed to know what was going on. It was in my blood, I was sure my mother would understand. But I agreed to what Chiron told me and left the room.

"I will tell the harpies to leave you alone tonight, but do not make a habit of breaking curfew alright child?' I heard Chiron's voice before I closed the front door.

My feet dragged the ground as I walked to my cabin. It was all so unfair, I was a senior counselor, I had been here longer than anyone, and I was the best knife fighter in camp, one of the smartest campers too, not to brag or anything. Yet, Chiron and the gods still found it hard to tell me important stuff like, was the world going to end?

This was really a need-to-know basis, I needed to know what my future was, if my loved ones where going to be okay, if they would remember me, if they would still love me. Oh, who was I kidding, I needed to know if Percy was alright.

I was aware of the harpies glaring at me through beady eyes as I trudged through camp. They hissed to one another, thinking of ways to make my life miserable. Ha, too late harpies.

I made my way to Cabin 6 but something stopped me in my tracks. The sound of distant waves crashing on the shore made my eyes burn with tears. It came over me so suddenly, before I knew it, I was running toward the beach. I desperately needed to be near the sea, with the salt blowing and the water tossing. I needed a way to be connected to Percy.

Ignoring the harpies' screeches, their warning screams and pushed onward for the beach.

I only stopped when my bare feet felt the grassy sand dunes. My eyes seared the water. The moon I knew was overhead was covered in clouds and the stars where invisible.

I walked slowly toward the water, this was stupid, a waste of my time, but I felt like the waves where calling me, like Percy was calling me. It was probably more likely that Poseidon wanted the little daughter of Athena to go drown, especially since she couldn't even save his son.

Foolishly I kept walking until the water was up to my ankles. It lapped harshly against my bare skin. I wanted to shout at it. I wanted to make it see that it wasn't my fault Percy was gone. But, I couldn't even convince myself that that was true.

If only I hadn't angered Hera in the first place, then, if only I hadn't let him out of my sight. I should have known that they few months of piece we had were too good to be true, I should have better protected him.

I felt icy hot tears running down my face, my legs couldn't hold themselves up any longer, my whole body was trembling; then I fell. I fell into the water. The choppy waves struck my body but the tears kept falling, a few fell into the ocean.

As soon as it all started it stopped, the ocean was calm, my tears dried on my cheeks and I gained hold of my body again. The rhythm of the waves was reassuring; now instead of being angry the ocean seemed to be comforting me. It had felt my pain, my loss, now we could mourn together in peace.

* * *

><p>Now that it is daylight, now that I have had a night's rest I realize that it was truly silly of me to think, that the ocean was a connecter between Percy and I, between Poseidon and I. But that's what it felt like, maybe it was just all of the sleep loss getting to my head. Chiron was probably right; I couldn't be as delirious as I was now when I was working on the <em>Argo<em>.

**How way that ya'll? I thought it was rather dragged out and that I am suffering from the same sleep deprivation as Annabeth! But I would love to hear your thoughts!**

**Please tell me if I made any spelling or grammar mistakes, I'm serious that I can't correct s*** right now, I'm really, really tired!**

**R&R!**


	7. Another Clarisse Update

**Okay everybody, here's chapter seven, wow, chapter seven. I think that's pretty good. I'll probably only be making a few more, hopefully by the time I'm finished the MOA with be out! I'm so excited; I've already pre-ordered it on Amazon and everything!**

**Thanks to those of you who reviewed, favorited, or alerted!**

**IMPORTANT A/N_: I've put out a poll asking who's POV you would like to see in the upcoming chapters!_**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><span>CLARISSE<span>

Hi there punk, Clarisse again, reporting from Camp Half-Blood. It's now been four months since Prissy went missing.

Everything's pretty normally now, you can still tell something's off but we're getting back into groove. Did I really just say that, I sound like my mother! Gross!

The _Argo II_ will be done in a few months, at least that's what Vandalez says. Grace, McLean, and Vandalez work day and night on their 'little' project. I swear to the gods, once they actually leave for their big quest they will have forgotten how to actually fight, they never have time for training or they claim to be "too tired" or some stupid excuse like that.

Annabeth is not scaring me as much anymore, she is teaching knife fighting again, that's what she did before he went missing. She also spends a lot of time on her silly laptop _[I still don't understand why Chiron lets her have a laptop but he won't even think of letting anyone else have one, it is __Daedalus's but__ still, it's the __principle__ of the thing]_ Annabeth is also obsessed with the _Argo II_, I don't blame her, it's the only way she will ever see her boyfriend again. I suppose I would be the same if Chris was taken.

Grover, Prissy's goat boy, visited camp the other day. He hasn't found a trace of Percy even though he's been searching California for months. He did however find a couple of new half-bloods to add to our little collection. He said he's been looking at the news papers for natural disasters. Because, you know, that's what Prissy's best at.

He said that the California coast has been experiencing some of the worst sea storms in a while, but after a bit of research Grover concluded that it was just Barnacle Beard getting all hyped up over Prissy's disappearance.

I considered Prissy lucky.

His father is worried about him, I don't suppose Ares would be very worried, kind of no disrespect intended. But Ares has a lot of kids, at Camp Half-Blood alone, how many sort-of-siblings do I have at Jason's roman camp? You know, I don't want to know. Poseidon only has one kid (that we know of) and he's the missing hero of Olympus, Prissy.

I suppose I don't blame anyone about missing Percy, he can be a good guy, sometimes. Don't you dare tell anyone I said that, I _will_ pulverize you. In fact, I've never told anyone this, but a few months after the Battle of the Labyrinth Prissy helped me out big time when my brothers, my immortal brothers, Phobos and Deimos, stole my father's chariot from my in order to get dad mad at me. Prissy helped me overcome my brothers and get my father's chariot back to his temple on the Intrepid.

Speaking of Ares and my half-siblings the Ares cabin is getting more and more crowded as the weeks go on. I swear every bunk in full and we still have a few campers sleeping on the floor until Chiron can order a few more beds.

In my opinion Annabeth should spend less time on the Argo and more time on renovating cabins. Ever since Prissy made the deal with the gods every cabin has become more crowded, accept the Hermes cabin, they're finally looking like a normal cabin.

Hades, we have more campers than we've ever had, ever. And it isn't even summer yet.

I walk to the sword arena where I'm surprised to find Grace fighting. Yes, he's finally training!

Grace is fighting some Hermes boy. I lean against the wall, studying the two fighting. I'll admit, Grace is pretty good. Not quite as good as me (or Prissy I suppose), but good.

He has a weird style of fighting; He pokes with the end of his "_gladius_". Instead of using he edge or flat of his blade he thrusts the tip, finding weak points in armor, it looks like he's using some kind of javelin instead of a sword. It's rather amusing to watch. However, the way he uses his _gladius_ it would be far too easy for a more experienced fighter (like me), to disarm him. Too bad he doesn't still have his little coin. But seriously, a coin, and I though Prissy and his pen where lame!

Grace finally gets a clue and crouches down, swinging his _gladius_ under his opponent's feet, knocking the boy to the ground. Maybe he is learning something from Greek fighting after all.

Grace points the tip of the sword at the boy. A look of contempt blazes in his eyes before it is washed away by his good natured laugh as he offers his hand and helps the boy to his feet. Sometimes I wonder if Grace really wants to be here, with the Greeks, I mean, he's a Roman, the sworn enemy of Greece.

Every so often a look will cross his face, he is confused by our traditions, out fighting, he hates being in the Zeus cabin alone, although who wouldn't? When he wins a fight against a camper, no matter how good or bad the camper is at fighting there is a look in his eyes, like he thinks we are not worthy opponents.

Speaking for myself, and most of my cabin mates, I cannot wait until someone beats the Hades out of the boy. I have a feeling that that someone will be Prissy. I actually hope it will be Prissy. I hate to say it but Barnacle Brain kind of took up the place of leader, especially after the Battle of Manhattan. It would be an epic battle you know, leader of the Greeks vs. leader of the Romans. Poseidon vs. Zeus. Water vs. Air. Thank kind of thing.

Don't get me wrong I would love to whoop his butt but, I think it will have to be Percy, the guy really… has a way with people… yeah, let's just say that. Oh, don't you dare tell Prissy I called him… you know P-E-R-C-Y.

I do have a reputation to keep up.

**Thanks everyone for reading. I know it took me a while to get this chapter up. I didn't really know where I was going with it in the beginning. As you might be able to tell. This isn't my best chapter but I'm just trying to get some perspective. **

**R&R**

**~Foxy**


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